Crazy idea... midnight wheat?

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KFH

KFH

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I just had a rather odd idea, and figured I'd post it here and see what happens.

I want to try making a typical, run-of-the-mill hefeweizen, with a slight twist: I want it to be as dark as possible with minimal impact on flavor.

Is this possible, or am I just slowly going mad? :)
 
I'd say about a half lb of carafa special should do it...will impart some flavor, though not nearly as much as patent
 
A tiny bit of special b or chocolate would turn it black without overpowering it. Here's my thought since the SRM is so high for both the quantity you would need would be small enough to not effect the taste
 
Its not so much the darkness or the flavor of what you add, but the technique. I wanted the same this for a BIPA I did recently. An big IPA with a dark color and strong roasty flavor already has a name, its an imperial stout.

So what you can do is, just take a generous quantity of dark grain into a moderate amount of water, (like a gallon jug) and let the grain sit in the fridge. That way you get dark color without extracting as much flavor. Alternately, you could add the dark grains at the end of the mash.
 
Jklinden said:
Bottlebomber RTFQ he said minimal impact on taste
Click to expand...

bottlebomber said:
So what you can do is, just take a generous quantity of dark grain into a moderate amount of water, (like a gallon jug) and let the grain sit in the fridge. That way you get dark color without extracting as much flavor. Alternately, you could add the dark grains at the end of the mash.
Click to expand...

I think that is what they're getting at.
 
Jklinden said:
Bottlebomber RTFQ he said minimal impact on taste
Click to expand...

You RTFQ you D-bag. Then read my response. Then STFU. Repeat steps 1-3 as often as needed.

By cold steeping grains you get color with less flavor
 
cyberwollf said:
Just add the dark grain at varlouf. It will keep the black bitterness to a minimum
Click to expand...

Correct, best way to get dark color without the roasty dry flavor is to add heavily roasted grain late in the mash, probably <10 minutes remaining... or even at vorlauf would add some color. The longer the grain mashes, the more roasted flavor you extract.
 
bottlebomber said:
Its not so much the darkness or the flavor of what you add, but the technique. I wanted the same this for a BIPA I did recently. An big IPA with a dark color and strong roasty flavor already has a name, its an imperial stout.

So what you can do is, just take a generous quantity of dark grain into a moderate amount of water, (like a gallon jug) and let the grain sit in the fridge. That way you get dark color without extracting as much flavor. Alternately, you could add the dark grains at the end of the mash.
Click to expand...

Can I get the dark grain bill you used for this, by chance?
 
I used a pound of carafa II 300 L, I think I could have gotten away with 12 ounces though it was pretty dark
 
Sinamar was the first thing that came to my mind. Why don't you want any of the flavor? You don't like dunkel weizen?
 
rjwhite41 said:
Sinamar was the first thing that came to my mind. Why don't you want any of the flavor? You don't like dunkel weizen?
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I think the wheat flavor is too delicate to compete with too much dark roasted flavor. It might just make it taste like mud... I think the Sinamar is a great looking product. Id like to try it, id never heard of it.
 
Bootlegger's Brewery in Fullerton, CA makes a Wildfire Wheat that has smoked malt in it. It's amazing! Picture a great Hefe, but with a bit of brush fire added. It's awesome!
 
How about just using chocolate wheat malt? It should be less astringent than midnight. It is also specifically for dark wheat beers.
 
seabass07 said:
How about just using chocolate wheat malt? It should be less astringent than midnight. It is also specifically for dark wheat beers.
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Its not going to get you a black beer though is it? Just brown
 
400 lovabond can make a pretty dark beer. Otherwise just cold steeping black pate.nt malt would be another good option
 
bottlebomber said:
I think the wheat flavor is too delicate to compete with too much dark roasted flavor. It might just make it taste like mud... I think the Sinamar is a great looking product. Id like to try it, id never heard of it.
Click to expand...

Have you ever tried Aventinus (which is actually a weizenbock) or any of the many dunkels (dunkel means dark in german so dunkel weizen means dark wheat) from the major german wheat beer producers such as Ayinger, Paulaner, or Franzinskaner? They're actually quite good. I recommend you try them all with Aventinus being a personal favorite. If you want a delicate hefe flavor just darker, I think sinamar is probably the way to go.
 
rjwhite41 said:
Have you ever tried Aventinus (which is actually a weizenbock) or any of the many dunkels (dunkel means dark in german so dunkel weizen means dark wheat) from the major german wheat beer producers such as Ayinger, Paulaner, or Franzinskaner? They're actually quite good. I recommend you try them all with Aventinus being a personal favorite. If you want a delicate hefe flavor just darker, I think sinamar is probably the way to go.
Click to expand...

Those all sound delicious. Unfortunately I live in a cow town where although we have a lot of local micros, IPA seems to be all anyone wants to brew or drink. The one store around that does have good imported beer specializes more in belgian ales, they really don't have any good wheats
 
rjwhite41 said:
Have you ever tried Aventinus (which is actually a weizenbock) or any of the many dunkels (dunkel means dark in german so dunkel weizen means dark wheat) from the major german wheat beer producers such as Ayinger, Paulaner, or Franzinskaner? They're actually quite good. I recommend you try them all with Aventinus being a personal favorite. If you want a delicate hefe flavor just darker, I think sinamar is probably the way to go.
Click to expand...

Thats my stuff right there. I love any kind of wheat tho. Not sure about dark for the sake of it. For me you have to taste it to. I hace seen the chocolate wheat and roasted wheat. Makes me think a wheat stout or porter might be nice. I am not good at formulating recipes yet tho.
 
rjwhite41 said:
Have you ever tried Aventinus
Click to expand...

Was driving through a "big" town and stopped by the Bevmo, saw one of your dark wheat picks. Im doing a dry week this week (my liver is already thanking me) but it'll be all nice n cold next friday :)

ForumRunner_20110814_225126.jpg
 
Man I gotta say I wasn't crazy about the Aventinus... it tasted more like some kind of strange Belgian than a German Dopplebock. It had a funky tart flavor, too tart really, like a sour. And the malt was very faint, almost a background flavor. Overly carbonated. Maybe I got a bad bottle? The sour flavor was the dominant quality of the beer. My wifes tasting notes - it tastes like sour, smokey beans. I thought the Optimator was vastly better
 
bottlebomber said:
Man I gotta say I wasn't crazy about the Aventinus... it tasted more like some kind of strange Belgian than a German Dopplebock. It had a funky tart flavor, too tart really, like a sour. And the malt was very faint, almost a background flavor. Overly carbonated. Maybe I got a bad bottle? The sour flavor was the dominant quality of the beer. My wifes tasting notes - it tastes like sour, smokey beans. I thought the Optimator was vastly better
Click to expand...

I don't know what to say. It shouldn't be sour at all. It's got some wheat funkiness but not at all sour. Roasted malt should dominate your flavor profile with chocolate and dark fruit flavors mixed with the traditional banana and clove flavors. I also don't remember it being overcarbed. Think of it as a dark wheat, not a Dopplebock. I've never had a bad bottle of anything from Schneider and Sohn but maybe yours sat in the sun for a couple of years before they sold it to you.
 
Could be... the malt profile was ultra wimpy. It must have been old. They could have been dusting it off on the Bevmo shelf for years, it didnt have a date on it. As far as funkiness, I have a belgian bottled right now that tastes like licking the underneath of a horse in a good way and im fine with those flavors. Ill definitely have to give it another shot now just to be sure. Ill buy it from somewhere else though.
 

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